Grandiflora rose plant named &#39;weksproulses&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Grandiflora rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of warm golden brown coloration.

CLASSIFICATION

The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybrida plant.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new plant has the varietal denomination ‘WEKsproulses’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of GrandifloraRose. It has as its seed parent the variety known as ‘WEKblusi’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,188) and as its pollen parent the variety known as‘MACivy’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,362).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combination of characteristics: its unique warm goldenbrown flower color, its heavy blush of red coloration on the newlyopened petals and its red suffusion on the stipule and the rachis of theyoung leaf. The plant has an upright and rounded moderately spreadinggrowing habit, suitable for outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKsproulses’ maybe asexually propagated by budding and grafting. The budding andgrafting successfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybrida cv.‘Dr. Huey’.

Comparison with Parents

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, ‘WEKblusi’ bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKsproulses’bears flowers of warm golden brown coloration, ‘WEKblusi’ bears flowersof silvery lavender coloration. The new variety is classified as agrandiflora rose with an upright and rounded moderately spreading mediumheight mature growing habit (about 100 to about 130 cm in height),whereas the seed parent is classified as a hybrid tea rose with asignificantly taller very upright mature growing habit (about 170 toabout 200 cm in height). ‘WEKsproulses’ bears flowers that have amoderate fruity to somewhat tea fragrance, whereas ‘WEKblusi’ bearsflowers with a significantly stronger penetrating fragrance of damaskrose and citrus blossom.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, ‘MACivy’ bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKsproulses’bears medium sized flowers (about 9.4 to about 14.3 cm in diameter) ofwarm golden brown coloration, ‘MACivy’ bears significantly smallerflowers (about 7.0 to about 8.0 cm in diameter) of multi-colored apricotand red coloration. The new variety usually bears its flowers singly,whereas the pollen parent bears its flowers in sprays of generally threeto fifteen blooms.

Comparison with the Closest Commercially Available Cultivar

The closest commercially available cultivar to the new variety is thepollen parent ‘MACivy’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color references and/or valuesare based upon the Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society(1966) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of November.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

Flower

The new variety usually bears its flowers singly. Flowers are borne onstrong medium length stems (about 23 to about 50 cm). Outdoors, theplant blooms abundantly and nearly continuously during the growingseason. The flowers have a moderate fruity to somewhat tea fragrance.

Bud

The peduncle is about 3.3 to about 5.6 cm in length, of somewhat heavycaliper (about 0.3 to about 0.5 cm in diameter), and usually erect. Itis moderately smooth, with some stipitate glands and few hairs. Pedunclecolor is between 144A and 141C sometimes lightly suffused, especially onthe side exposed to the sun, with between 187B and 183A.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.3 to about 1.8 cm indiameter at the widest point, about 1.6 to about 2.4 cm in length, andpointed to somewhat ovoid in shape. The surface of the bud bears fewvery long foliaceous appendages, usually with slender entire foliaceousparts extending beyond the tip of the bud about ½ or more of its length.Bud color is between 137A and 141B sometimes lightly suffused,especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 183C and 183B.

The sepals are about 2.6 to about 4.9 cm in length and about 0.8 toabout 1.2 cm in width at the widest point. The outer surface color ofthe sepal is between 137A and 141B sometimes lightly suffused,especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 183C and 183B.The inner surface color of the sepal is between 137A and 138B andcovered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are lined with manystipitate glands and hairs.

The receptacle of the flower is of somewhat short length (about 0.4 toabout 0.6 cm) and average in caliper (about 0.8 to about 1.1 cm indiameter). The receptacle is vase shape in form. Its surface is verysmooth with thick fleshy walls. The receptacle color is between 144A and141C.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 2.1 toabout 2.7 cm in diameter at the widest point, about 2.8 to about 3.2 cmin length, and ovoid in form. On the under surface of the newly openedpetals, the color at the base is between 1B and 2B, gradually suffusingtoward the edge of the petals with between 199A and 164B usually heavilyblushed with between 60A and 53A. On the upper surface of the newlyopened petals, the color at the base is between 2A and 3A, graduallysuffusing toward the edge of the petals with between 199A and 164Busually heavily blushed with between 60A and 53A.

Bloom

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 9.4 to about 14.3 cm indiameter. Petalage is double with about 23 to 32 petals and about 1 to 7petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially open, the bloom form ishigh centered to somewhat cupped, and the petals are moderately tightlyspiraled to cupped with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward. Whenfully open, the bloom form is more cupped, and the petals are looselycupped with petal edges moderately reflexed outward.

Petals

The substance of the petals is moderately heavy and of medium thickness,with upper surfaces moderately satiny and under surfaces somewhat shiny.The petals are about 4.0 to about 6.0 cm in length and about 2.9 toabout 5.6 cm in width at the widest point. Petal margins are entire.

The outer petals are moderately obovate in shape with rounded apices.

The inner petals are obovate to somewhat oblanceolate in shape withrounded apices.

Petaloids are about 2.3 to about 4.5 cm in length and about 0.9 to about3.6 cm in width at the widest point. Petaloids are irregularly shapedsomewhat oblanceolate to oblong with rounded apices.

Newly Opened Flower

On the under surface of the outer petals, the color at the base of thepetals is between 9B and 8A, gradually suffusing toward the edge of thepetals with between 161D and 159B usually heavily blushed with between60B and 53A. On the upper surface of the outer petals, the color at thebase of the petals is between 9A and 12A, gradually suffusing toward theedge of the petals with between 161C and 159B usually heavily blushedwith between 60B and 53A.

On the under surface of the intermediate and inner petals, the color atthe base of the petals is between 9B and 8A, gradually suffusing towardthe edge of the petals with between 161A and 161C. On the upper surfaceof the intermediate and inner petals, the color at the base of thepetals is between 9A and 12A, gradually suffusing toward the edge of thepetals with between 161A and 161D sometimes moderately blushed withbetween 60B and 53A.

The under and upper surface color of the petaloids are similar incoloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and innerpetals.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 161A and 161Dsometimes moderately blushed with between 60B and 53A.

Three-Day-Old Flower

On the under surface of the outer petals, the color at the base of thepetals is between 9C and 8A, gradually suffusing toward the edge of thepetals with between 159C and 159B often moderately blushed with between60C and 53C. On the upper surface of the outer petals, the color at thebase of the petals is between 9C and 12A, gradually suffusing toward theedge of the petals with between 161D and 159C often moderately blushedwith between 60C and 53C.

On the under surface of the intermediate and inner petals, the color atthe base of the petals is between 9C and 8A, gradually suffusing towardthe edge of the petals with between 159C and 159B. On the upper surfaceof the intermediate and inner petals, the color at the base of thepetals is between 9C and 12A, gradually suffusing toward the edge of thepetals with between 161D and 159C.

The under and upper surface color of the petaloids are similar incoloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and innerpetals.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is between 161D and159C.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly.

In November in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about four to five days. Cut roses from plants grownoutdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally lastabout four to five days.

Male Reproductive Organs

Stamens are many in number (average about 140) and are arrangedregularly about the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids. Thefilaments are of moderately long length (about 0.9 to about 1.5 cm) mostwith anthers. Filaments are between 12B and 9B in color sometimeslightly suffused with between 34B and 33B. The anthers are of mediumsize for the class and all open approximately at the same time. Anthercolor is between 16A and 16D when immature and between 200A and 163B atmaturity. Pollen is abundant and between 16C and 14C in color.

Female Reproductive Organs

Pistils vary in number (average about 130). The styles are moderatelyeven, somewhat long in length (about 0.7 to about 1.0 cm), very thin incaliper and loosely bunched to somewhat separated. Stigma color isbetween 12C and 14C. Style color is between 4D and 2D sometimes lightlysuffused with between 53B and 53C. Ovaries are usually all enclosed inthe calyx.

Hips are of moderately short to average length (about 1.2 to about 1.6cm), globular in form, and between 21B and 23B in color when ripe. Thehip surface is very smooth with thick fleshy walls. The sepals aremoderately fugacious and usually straight in shape.

The seeds are irregularly rounded, smooth in texture, approximately 3 toabout 8 per hip, about 0.4 to about 0.6 cm in diameter at the widestpoint and between 162B and 163D in color.

Foliage

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to seven leaflets andare borne abundantly. The five-leaflet leaves are about 7.6 to about14.1 cm in length and about 6.0 to about 10.7 cm in width at the widestpoint, moderately heavy to crisp in texture, and moderately glossy infinish. The terminal leaflets are about 3.4 to about 7.5 cm in lengthand about 2.0 to about 4.4 cm in width at the widest point, shaped ovalwith acute to somewhat acuminate apices and moderately rounded to acutebases. Their margins are usually simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between 147A and 135B. Theunder surface color of the mature leaf is between 146A and 141B. Theupper surface color of the young leaf is between 146A and 141B, usuallymoderately suffused especially on the very edge of the leaf with between187B and 183A. The under surface color of the young leaf is between 146Band 143C, usually heavily suffused with between 187B and 183A.

The rachis is average in caliper and usually smooth but sometimesmoderately rough. The upper side is deeply grooved with few hairs andstipitate glands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of therachis is usually smooth but sometimes moderately rough with sometimesvery few stipitate glands and very few small prickles. The rachis coloris between 145A and 147A usually heavily suffused on the young leaf withbetween 187B and 183A.

The stipules are about 1.0 to about 1.8 cm in length and very wide(about 0.4 to about 1.1 cm) with moderately long straight points thatusually turn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees and sometimesrecurve toward the stem. The stipules color is between 137A and 138Asometimes lightly suffused especially on the young leaf with between187D and 183C.

The petiole is average in caliper and usually smooth but sometimesmoderately rough. The upper side is deeply grooved with few hairs andstipitate glands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of thepetiole is usually smooth but sometimes moderately rough with sometimesvery few stipitate glands and very few small prickles. The petiole isabout 0.4 to about 1.0 cm in length and about 0.1 to about 0.2 cm indiameter at the widest point. The petiole color is between 145A and 147Ausually heavily suffused on the young leaf with between 187B and 183A.

The plant displays an average degree of resistance to powdery mildew andrust as compared to other commercial varieties grown under comparableconditions in Upland, Calif. The plant's winter hardiness anddrought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.

Growth

The plant has an upright and rounded moderately spreading medium heightgrowing habit (about 100 to about 130 cm in height and about 60 to about90 cm spread at the widest point), with full branching. It displaysmoderately vigorous growth and the canes are of medium caliper for theclass.

The color of the major stems is between 146B and 146C. They bear somelarge prickles that are about 0.9 to about 1.3 cm in length. The largeprickles are angled moderately downward with a long narrow oval base;prickle color is between 164A and 166C. The major stem bears few smallprickles of similar shape and coloration.

The color of the branches is between 146B and 135A. They bear some largeprickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles onthe major stems; prickle color is between 160A and 153A usuallymoderately suffused with between 187C and 184B. The branches bear nosmall prickles.

The color of the new shoots is between 144B and 146A often heavilysuffused with between 187B and 183A. They bear some large prickles whichare of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems;prickle color is between 160A and 153A usually moderately suffused withbetween 187C and 184B. The new shoots bear no small prickles.

1. A new and distinct Grandiflora rose plant of the varietysubstantially as described and illustrated herein.